EPISODE NUMBER TWO - Catching Up

It's been exactly one month since my last entry and much has happened since then.

GETTING READY
First of all, after the auction I had a yard sale on the following weekend. What an exhausting time that was! First of all, there was the humongous job of sorting out what I wanted to sell as opposed to storing or taking with me. After that was done, everything had to be transported to Jenny's house in Whitby. I reasoned that, since I lived in such a remote location, very few people would stop in to buy things. Despite the immense effort, it truly was worth it. Even on Friday evening, as we were taking things out of boxes, people were stopping by and buying things. I slept in my car in the driveway on Friday evening, just in case some of the items "walked away". Jenny lives on a very busy crossroads and there really was no need for advertising or signs. Saturday and Sunday proved to be very lucrative and by Sunday afternoon, most of the remaining items were reduced to five cents. That spurred more buying and left less to pack up to take to the Salvation Army. All in all, it was quite lucrative. My thanks to Jenny Bodnar for the use of her house and allowing me to do this. Also thanks to Shana Mortimer Gibson for all her help, and to all the friends who came out, either to help me or to buy things.

MORE GETTING READY
So, after that was over, there was still the task of continuing to sort, box, tape up and mark items for storage. I used primarily large Tupperware containers for this purpose, with the theory that it would be difficult for mice to get inside. Some is stored with Terry in Uxbridge and some with Elaine in Markham. My Subaru Forester is stored with Terry.

AND MORE GETTING READY!
Then, there was the issue of selling off my appliances. Someone suggested Craigslist -- and I've got to say that the response to my postings there was remarkable. All but the microwave went in no time at all, and it was only a matter of coordinating times for pick-up. For the most part, the buyers allowed me to keep the appliances until the final week.

A NEW TRAVELLING COMPANION
As I mentioned in my first journal, my anticipated travelling companion, Fiona Ferret was euthanized on June 21st. Ironically, Fiona had the same disease that killed Timona meerkat last August 1st, and I was quite bereft after that. However, recently, after meeting Shana's little dog Willy, I had been considering finding a small dog to accompany me on my trip. On Saturday, July 21st I had dinner with Elaine. She has two dogs and two cats, one of whom is Meg, a Jack Russell terrier. I was quite taken with Meg's personality and Elaine put me in touch with the Jack Russell Terrier Rescue Group. Cathy took my application and thought that she did not have a dog for me at first, given that I was planning to leave in an RV in a week's time. But, as fate would have it, Ripley appeared on the scene. Sshe is a six-year old spayed female who had been owned by a woman since puppyhood. However, last year the woman had a baby and recently became involved with a man who hated the dog. It appears that he kicked and beat the dog and demanded that the woman get rid of her. She chose to keep the man instead of the dog --a bad choice!! She gave the dog to her parents, who live in and travel in, an RV with two Siberian Huskies. Needless to say, they had no room for Ripley, and tried to place her with a woman in an apartment, who already had a cat, bird and a ferret. It didn't work out, and she gave Ripley back to the parents in the RV. As they were shortly heading to Nova Scotia, Jan was desperate and contacted the Jack Russell Rescue Group early last week. Ripley was placed in a foster home on Wednesday July 25th, and Cathy at the Rescue group asked me if I would be interested.

I went to see Ripley Friday morning, July 27 at her foster home where she was enjoying the company of three dogs. I could see right away that Ripley had a great personality and was extremely intelligent; it wasn't difficult to make up my mind and I took her home. She is an absolute delight -- a perfect companion for this trip. She loves car rides, does not bark except when she first meets a stranger, is good with dogs, cats and children. We got along famously from the very start, and she has bonded with me completely.

However, I accidently put my foot near her, and she jumped away as though anticipating being kicked. A friend tried to throw a stick for her and she ran away. So obviously she has been mistreated and it will take some time for her to realize that that will never happen again.

I think that Ripley is also very nervous that she is going to be left yet again, as the past few days have been very disruptive. I've been removing everything to the RV from the house, and she kept following me, not knowing whether to stay in the house or the RV. I was supposed to be totally out of the house by July 31st, but got a reprieve for a day from the property manager so that I didn't actually leave until August 1st.

I have to also send a huge thank you to Susan Ellis, who very kindly brought her truck over three times to help carry out the debris from the shed and barn. I don't know what I would have done without you!

So many of my friends helped to make this difficult transition easier for me, and I want you all to know just how much I appreciate it. You all made it easier. And I swear I will never collect so much "stuff" again!! (At least I say that now).

So, to bring this journal up to date, I am currently at a computer at the home of Lynn and Kit James in Ajax, Ontario, where I moved my RV yesterday. I am plugged into their electricity source and living in the RV (using their bathroom and clothes washing facilities) while I finish up some errands. Thanks, Lynn, for lending me your car to do this!

As I drove over here, the "Check Engine" light came on in the RV, and I spent the morning trying to find someone to look at it. Unfortunately, with the long weekend coming up, the Ford dealer here locally is booked solid. However, I have tracked down the Ford dealer in Huntsville who will look at it tomorrow. So, I am staying put for tonight and taking off early Friday morning for Muskoka. I plan to check on my own property and say goodbye to friends there before heading over to Scott and Andree's cottage Friday late afternoon.

GETTING USED TO THINGS
The biggest challenge for me right now is to SLOW DOWN. For many years, my life has been incredibly hectic -- working during the day, then going to the ACC at night, or else attending a meeting for COTERC. It has been a life of schedule and running from one thing to another.

I don't have to do that anymore! My brain knows it, but it still thinks it has to rush. It will take time to adjust to this new life, but in the end I believe it will be very healthy for me.

MY LAST DAY
On my last day at the farm I walked around and took a lot of photos, so that I can be reminded of where I spent the past thirty-one years of my life. That's almost half a lifetime! I said a silent goodbye to the land, and a not-so-silent goodbye to the pets that are buried there, including Fiona Ferret. I reminisced about some of the events that happened there and left without looking back. I doubt if I will ever return, as I never want to see how the developers destroy this beautiful piece of Ontario.

And now, it's time to look to the future and what it might hold. I'm very excited as I embark on this new part of my life. No doubt it won't all be easy, but it will be full of adventures, and I would lilke to share them with you, as I move along. Thanks for reading, and do keep in touch via the Gmail account. Whenever I have access to the Internet. I will be checking it, and adding to this blog.

'Bye for now